How stopping can keep you going

How much are you squeezing into every day? How much more do you think is possible?

Never before have people pushed themselves as hard as they do now, and an unfortunate by-product of this is the dreaded ‘stupid mistake’.

A stupid mistake is something basic and fundamental that you do when you are cramming too much into your life for too long.

It can often be a small thing that usually doesn’t require a high level of intellect, just a normal amount of attention on the job at hand.

My aunt recently took her house phone overseas after an intensely stressful week prior to a trip to the US. I know someone who recently left the front door of their house wide open for 24 hours with nobody home!

These are both intelligent, capable and motivated people who have burnt the candle at both ends for too long. Small cracks like this appear and they can have disastrous results (imagine not putting the handbrake on after parking on a steep hill, for example).

After a series of sleepless nights in searing Melbourne heat, I found myself making uncharacteristic spelling mistakes, catching various leg parts on hard objects (bed, tables, chairs) and forgetting to include vital details in emails.

Everyone has time to put towards rejuvenation – it has to be one of your highest priorities!

I’m hearing that meditation or focused relaxation for as little as 5-10 minutes a day can be enough to clear your mind of the noise and chaos that causes errors like the ones above.

What’s more important to know is that these acts of rejuvenation (and they are different for everyone) will save more time than what they take, as they improve your concentration and efficiency.

If you feel strung out reading this, give yourself the break you deserve – right now. It’s highly likely to save you time later in day.